Legislation
SDGA is monitoring proposed bills moving through the New Hampshire legislative process. In some cases, the SDGA has taken a position to support or oppose proposals.
The table below lists the bills being tracked by SDGA, along with a summary of the purpose, our position in support or opposition, and information about the current status of the bill, including a link to the NH General Court website for the most current status of the bill and the full proposed text.
Note that the table scrolls to the right for visibility of all columns. The table is sortable by the column headings.
Title | Bill Number | Prime Sponsor | SDGA Position | Commentary / Call to Action | Next Action Date | Committee | Status | Disposition | Next Action | Link to full text | Link to NH General Court Docket | SDGA Blog | Year |
Relating to use of money raised by taxation for education. Providing that money raised by taxation may be applied for the use of religious educational institutions. | CACR7 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Allows money raised by taxes to be used for religious schools, aligning NH Constitution with Espinoza vs. Montana DOR U.S. Supreme Court ruling | None | House Education | Complete | Failed to obtain 3/5 majority in House | None | 2023 | |||
Establishing the parental bill of rights. | HB 10 | Packard ( R ) | Support | Makes parental rights absolute in NH, especially in schools. School officials must not keep information about students secret from their parents | None | House Children and Family Law | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to requiring towns and school districts use warrant articles for lobbying agents. | HB 51 | Boehm ( R ) | Support with amendment | Requires association membership fees for organizations such as NHMA and NHSBA to separate and identify funds for their services from funds used for lobbying. Allows governing bodies and voters to decide if they want to fund services and/or to fund lobbying. It is a common industry practice to separate out lobbying funds, and it needs to be used for municipalities and school districts. | None | House Municipal & CG | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to teaching on discrimination in the public schools and discrimination in public workplaces. | HB 61 | Petrigno ( D ) | Oppose | Would allow the teaching of divisive concepts in public schools, reversing law based in 2021 | None | House Education | None | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Repealing a department of education report on chartered public school funding. | HB 71 | Mooney ( R ) | Support | Eliminate unnecessary monthly reporting requirements for DoE (same as SB25) | TBD | Senate Education | Governor | Adopted by House and Senate | Governor Siganture | 2023 | |||
Relative to school board member qualifications. | HB103 | Roy ( R ) | Support with amendment | This bill is overly broad by prohibiting members of municipal governing body and budget committee serving on school board | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to multi-stall bathrooms and locker rooms in schools. | HB104 | Moffett ( R ) | Support | Much needed legislation to ensure multi-stall bathrooms and locker rooms in all public schools are same sex, in line with SDGA policy JBAB. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to governing body members of the budget committee. | HB123 | Roy ( R ) | Support | Makes school board and selectboard member ex-officio non-voting members of budget committees, eliminating double voting | None | House Municipal & CG | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to menstrual hygiene products in schools. | HB129 | Edwards ( R ) | Support | Requires state to fund cost of products, eliminating unfunded mandate | 05/11/23 | Senate Education | Senate | Committee recommends ITL | Senate | 2023 | |||
Requiring reports concerning school policies on classroom recordings and in-classroom observers | HB131 | Moffett ( R ) | Support | Ensures classroom recordings and in-classroom observer policies are appropriate | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Membership of the advisory committee on the education of students with disabilities. | HB147 | Kuttab ( R ) | Neutral | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | ||||
Relative to the handling of requests made under the right-to-know law. | HB149 | M. Smith ( D ) | Support | Requires public body to provide updates on RTK requests every 30 days | TBD | House Judiciary | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Requiring the teaching of cursive handwriting and multiplication tables. | HB170 | Hobson ( R ) | Support | Requiring teaching these skills a (instead suggested) is key to improving student achievement | None | Senate Education | Complete | Signed into Law | None | 2023 | |||
Establishing a committee to study school meal programs in New Hampshire's public schools and non-sectarian schools that accept public funds. | HB181 | Horrigan ( D ) | Neutral | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | ||||
Relative to non-academic surveys in schools. | HB204 | Belcher ( R ) | Support | Closes loopholes for non-academic surveys delivered in digital format and those that seek information on emotional response; all require parental notification | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to school district unanticipated funds. | HB207 | Plett ( R ) | Support | Raises threshold for accepting unanticipated funds without a separate hearing from $5K to $20K. School board still needs to vote on accepting funds at regular public monthly meeting. | TBD | House Finance | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Siganture | 2023 | |||
Relative to the opportunity of school district employees representing the collective bargaining unit to meet with the public employer as part of collective bargaining negotiations. | HB241 | Sheehan ( R ) | Support | Codifies default reasonable meeting times for school board members to meet with representatives of the bargaining unit, unless specifically negotiated | None | House Labor | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to remote participation in public meetings under the right to know law. | HB254 | Simpson ( D ) | Support | Clarifies requirements for remote electronic participation by members of public bodies, with minimum quorum requirements | None | House Judiciary | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Prohibiting cities and towns from discriminating in the use of public facilities. | HB256 | McGuire ( R ) | Support | Prevents selectboards and school boards from unlawfully discriminating against any group based group's speech or purpose | None | House Judiciary | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to criminal records checks in school employment | HB267 | Alexander Jr. ( R ) | Support | Allows on-going criminal checks on employees, beyond initial checks, to protect students | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Increasing chartered public school per pupil funding. | HB272 | Mooney ( R ) | Support | Provides $1,730 per student state funding grant increase to public charter schools, to $5,141, supporting these schools who operate in a fiscally prudent and cost effective manner | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to schools approved for a school tuition program by a school board. | HB275 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Supports school choice and taxpayers. If parents choose a locally board approved tuiton school above the local tuiton cap, parents can choose the school but pay the difference in cost. | 05/11/23 | Senate Education | Senate | Committee recommends OTP with amendment (pass), on Consent Calendar | Senate | 2023 | |||
Allowing a town to appropriate funds to create a town scholarship fund. | HB293 | Hill ( R ) | Support with amendment | Town government should not be using taxpayer funds for scholarships. Support with amendment that a scholarship trust fund may be created and funded with voluntary donations only, no taxpayer funds. | None | House Municipal & CG | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to requiring all selectboard and school board meetings to be recorded and broadcast live online. | HB295 | Damon ( D ) | Oppose | Unfunded mandate requiring governing board meetings to be video recorded and live streamed to public, unnecessary burden on local taxpayers. | None | House Municipal & CG | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to attorney's fees in actions under the right to know law. | HB307 | McGuire ( D ) | Support | In right to know cases (RSA 91-A), this bill proposes awarding reasonable attorney's fees upon final judgment in favor of the requester, and not also have to require that the public body or public agency knew or should have known the conduct engaged in was a violation of RSA 91-A | TBD | Senate Judiciary | Senate Committee | Adopted by House | Executive Session | 2023 | |||
Relative to a quorum for meetings open to the public to include remote presence. | HB308 | Nutter-Uppingham ( D ) | Oppose | Relaxes requirements for remote participation in public body meetings, requiring no reason for remote participation. | 05/11/23 | Senate Judiciary | Senate | Committee recommends OTP with amendment, on Consent Calendar | Senate | 2023 | |||
Relative to civil rights education in public elementary and secondary schools. | HB309 | Ulery ( R ) | Support | Provides objective instruction on US and NH history regarding civil rights and acts of discriminatory injustice, with NH Department overight and RSA 91-A safeguards | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to petitions for warrant articles at a special meeting. | HB312 | Malloy ( D ) | Oppose | Makes citizen petitions for special town or school district meetings impractical by requiring signatures from 10% of voters, versus current requirement of 50 voters. | None | House Municipal & CG | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to the reductions from the default budget for official ballot town meetings. | HB313 | Yokela ( R ) | Support | Commonsense change for SB2 towns and school districts, by requiring that salary and benefit reductions from turnover are deducted from the default budget. | TBD | House Municipal & CG | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to minutes from nonpublic sessions under the right to know law. | HB321 | Yokela ( R ) | Support | Bi-partisan bill supporting transparency. Requires public bodies to review non-public sealed meeting minutes every 10 years for continued non-disclosure. If not reviewed, minutes become public. | TBD | Senate Judiciary | Senate Committee | Adopted by House | Executive Session | 2023 | |||
Relative to the income threshold for the education freedom account program. | HB331 | Lekas ( R ) | Support | Removes the income maximum requirement for Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs), enabling all NH students to choose EFAs. | None | House Education | Committee | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to school building aid for eligible projects. | HB332 | Cahill ( D ) | Oppose | Requires minimum of $60M annually appropriated to school aid building fund starting in FY24. Requires $5M to be used for projects started FY10-FY19. Currently annual appropriation is capped at $50M. Risk is that change may incentivize school building project "wants" over true "needs" with available funding. Recommend passing amended HB546 instead, allowing legislature to determine right funding level each biennium. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to determination and cost of state adequate education. | HB334 | Schamberg ( D ) | Oppose | This bill repeals current grant formula based on number of students and differentiated grants (special education, English language learners, free/reduce priced meals), replacing with 50% of statewide average. This will accelerate unnecessary spending in public schools. Also repeals EFA differentiated aid, harming current and future EFA families. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to chartered public school eligibility for state school building aid. | HB354 | Mooney ( R ) | Support | Rightly enables public charter schools to be eligible for school building aid, as these charter schools are public schools. Needs to be aligned with changes in HB452. | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to transportation for students attending career and technical education centers. | HB364 | Ladd ( R ) | Neutral | 05/11/23 | Senate Education | Senate Committee | Committee recommends OTP (pass), on Consent Calendar | Senate | 2023 | ||||
Relative to a statewide facility condition assessment for school buildings. | HB365 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Provides Dept of Education and Legislature on upcoming school facility requests supported by district goals | None | Senate Education | Complete | Signed into Law | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to eligibility of students in the education freedom account program | HB367 | Lekas ( R ) | Support | Expands EFA income eligibility from 300% to 350% of poverty level | TBD | Senate Education | Senate Committee | Adopted by House with amendment | Executive Session | 2023 | |||
Establishing a commission to evaluate and recommend standards for public schools. | HB371 | Luneau ( D ) | Oppose | Creates unnecessary bureaucracy and spending. The Legislative Oversight Committee for the Statewide Education Improvement and Assessment | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to screening and intervention in public schools for dyslexia and related disorders. | HB377 | Kuttab ( R ) | Support | Bi-partisan bill provides needed screening for dyslexia and related disorders in K-2 grades, and early intervention services. Will help these students and save special education costs later. | 05/11/23 | Senate Education | Senate Committee | Committee recommends OTP (pass) | Senate | 2023 | |||
Relative to non-academic surveys administered by a public school or a chartered public school to its students | HB380 | Horrigan ( D ) | Oppose | Makes it easier for non-academic surveys to be given without parent notification or permission | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Authorizing local school boards to give students release time for participation in religious instruction in an elective course for the purposes of satisfying curriculum requirements. | HB382 | Santonastaso ( R ) | Support | Reasonable accommodation to allow students to participate in religious instruction outside public schools for academic credit (per State Board standards) and at no cost to school district, supporting a level of school choice. Similar to HB634. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to the organization of cooperative school boards. | HB394 | Sellers ( R ) | Promoted by SDGA | Increases fairness and cooperation in cooperative districts, by requiring regular school board meetings to rotate among member towns and rotate the board chair among member towns, with reasonable designated exceptions. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Allowing for a testing exception for graduation from high school. | HB399 | Corcoran ( D ) | Support with amendment | Requires Dept of Education to design high school equivalency test. Support assuming Dept of Education reports reasonable cost to design/update/administer the NH high school equivalency test | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to the math learning communities program of the community college system and making an appropriation therefor | HB419 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Bi-partisan bill supports the math learning program in NH public high schools in collaboration with NH community colleges to overcome math skill deficits, and adds oversight with specific metrics to ensure effectiveness and return on investment of the program | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the availability and funding for the dual and concurrent enrollment program by the community college system. | HB420 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Enables grade 10-12 students to take community college courses in lieu of public school courses | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to school lunch payment policies. | HB424 | Horrigan ( D ) | Neutral | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | ||||
Relative to public comment and inquiry during school board meetings. | HB427 | Aron ( R ) | Support | Important bill to make school board and administrators accountable to public. School board must answer public questions at meeting or within 5 business days, and reference authority for their answer/decision. Minutes shall reflect how questions are answered (or not). Bill includes several other accountability measures. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Requiring the offering of breakfast and lunch in all public and chartered public schools | HB429 | Elllison ( D ) | Oppose | Unfunded mandate requiring school districts to offer breakfast and to participate in the National School Breakfast Program | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to applications for the education freedom accounts program. | HB430 | Luneau ( D ) | Oppose | Unnecessarily limits eligibility for EFA program by requiring attendance at public school for at least a year, except for those entering kindergarten or grade 1. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to participation in the education freedom accounts program. | HB432 | Luneau ( D ) | Oppose | Unnecessary and burdensome requirement for families of EFA students to reapply annually, also creating additional administrative costs | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to relief aid calculation in determining grants for adequate education. | HB435 | Luneau ( D ) | Oppose | Provides unbounded state funding by increasing state adequacy grants to only school districts with more than 12% free/reduced price meal students and eliminates the $17.5M statutory funding cap. No fiscal note provided on estimate of cost. | TBD | Senate Finance | Senate Committee | OTP by Senate, referred to Senate Finance | Public Hearing | 2023 | |||
Relative to a reading assessment and intervention program. | HB437 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | In grades K-3, provides much needed reading skills assessment and monitoring, then identified students receive measurable, evidence-based instruction | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the duty to provide an education and contracts with private schools. | HB439 | Cordelli ( R ) | TBD | This bill repeals the authority of a school board to execute a contract with a nonsectarian private | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the uses of education trust fund. | HB440 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Adds important uses for education trust fund including Education Freedom Accounts, public charter schools, kindergarten grants, and the infrastructure fund. | 05/11/23 | Senate Ways and Means | Senate | Committee recommends OTP (pass) | Senate | 2023 | |||
Eliminating residency requirements for public school attendance. | HB441 | Yokela ( R ) | Support with amendment | Enables superintendent to change school placement of student, at request of parents, to another school based on parent's justification or manifest hardship, with appeal to school board. Recommend amendment: do not changing IV.(c) -- keep responsibility of special education costs with student's original district. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to participation in the education freedom accounts program by students with disabilities. | HB446 | Cornell ( D ) | Support with amendment | Amendment corrects original language. Notifies parents of students with disabilities of their rights under the EFA program. | TBD | Senate Education | Senate Committee | Adopted by House | Executive Session | 2023 | |||
Relative to the state board of education prohibition on discrimination. | HB451 | Tanner ( D ) | Oppose | Tries to impose State Board of Education oversight on all public and private schools and educational providers, even those that get no state funding. It is another subtle attempt at targeting EFA providers. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to the department of education procedures for school building aid applications. | HB452 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Provides much needed updates, streamlining, and fairness to the administration of the school building grant program. | TBD | Senate Education | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Signature | 2023 | |||
Relative to eligible students in the education freedom account program | HB464 | Layon ( R ) | Support | Expands EFA eligibility to disadvantaged students | TBD | Senate Education | Senate Committee | Adopted by House | Executive Session | 2023 | |||
Relative to water bottle filling stations in schools. | HB466 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Removes requirement for State Board of Education to adopt rules relative to water bottle filing stations in schools. | None | Senate Education | Complete | Signed into Law | None | 2023 | |||
Making an appropriation to the department of education for an attorney to recodify education laws. | HB468 | Hill ( D ) | Support | Legislators have encountered duplicative and conflicting statutes in RSA 186 through 200-N. Bill funds $100K for an education attorney to review and report recommendations to the General Court. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing a New Hampshire farm-to-school reimbursement program | HB487 | Simpson ( D ) | Oppose | Creates unnecessary spending. Subsidizes school districts for 33.3% of costs for food purchased directly from NH farms, with first year administrative costs alone of $195K. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Requiring the department of education to provide the house and senate standing committees responsible for education with copies of the laws and rules relative to education. | HB492 | Tanner ( D ) | Support | Requires Dept of Education to annually provide copies the Education Laws and Rules to standing committees. | 05/11/23 | Senate Education | Senate | Committee recommends OTP with amendment (pass), on Consent Calendar | Senate | 2023 | |||
Relative to ages for special education services. | HB501 | Murphy ( D ) | Support | Aligns with federal law, which requires to provide public special education to any student or inmate until age 22, unless high school diploma is earned. | None | Senate Education | Complete | Signed into Law | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to comprehensive mental health education in schools. | HB505 | Newell ( D ) | Oppose | Current health classes can cover appropriate topics. By highlighting this area, it may create additional demand for mental health. Also, adding additional requirements means something else will not be covered (opportunity cost). | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the dissemination of obscene material by schools and institutions of higher learning. | HB514 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Much needed requirement for all school boards to adopt a policy regarding handling complaints of obscene material, with several levels of appeals. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to education freedom accounts. | HB515 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Many improvments to EFA program: increases flexibility in the choice of EFA program providers, protects privacy of EFA students while providing aggregate data to Dept of Ed, puts State Board of Ed in charge of adopting rules, requires scholarship organization to provide annual report to General Court. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to school lunches and establishing the meals for students fund. | HB528 | Horrigan ( D ) | Neutral | Requires school districts to provide free/reduced price breakfast and lunch to qualified students, paid by the Dept. of Education | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to additional aid grants for schools based on free and reduced price meals and fiscal capacity disparity. | HB529 | Fellows ( D ) | Oppose | Targets more education aid to certain towns and cities. Increases state adequacy grants to only school districts with more than 12% free/reduced price meal students and less than $1.6M equalized property valuation per student. All others get no additional funding. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to withdrawal from a cooperative school district. | HB530 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Provides sensible, practical modifications to the withdrawal procedure of a school district from a cooperative school district | 05/11/23 | Senate Education | Senate | Committee reccomends OTP with amendment (pass), on Consent Calendar | Senate | 2023 | |||
Relative to public school human rights complaints. | HB533 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Enables Dept. of Education to bring a complaint on student discriminatory practices, by a school or school district, to the state commission on human rights, helping student and parents effectively navigate the complaint process, better protecting students' rights. | TBD | House Judiciary | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing a local education freedom account program. | HB538 | Verville ( R ) | Support | Enabling legislation that permits local school districts by 3/5 majority vote to offer local EFAs to qualified students. The EFA will be twice the per pupil state adequate education grant plus any differentiated aid for that student | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to vaccination clinics at schools. | HB539 | Kofalt ( R ) | Support or Support with Amendment | Rightly prohibits holding any vaccination clinics during school hours at any public school. Needed to ensure students are not "accidentally" given a vaccine without parental consent. Amendment weakens original language but bill still worth supporting if amended. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to adequate education grant amounts for pupils receiving special education services. | HB540 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Bi-partisan bill provides increased state adequacy aid for state mandated special education: 8.5% more for students with students services less 80% of the day, 147% more for students receiving services 80%+ of the day, and 226% more for full-time separate programs. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to school building aid grants and making an appropriation therefor. | HB541 | Wallner ( D ) | Oppose | Appropriates $100M for school aid building fund in FY24 and FY25, and requires minimum of $50M annually starting in FY25. Currently annual appropriation is capped at $50M. Risk is that change may incentivize school building project "wants" over true "needs" with available funding. Recommend passing amended HB546 instead, allowing legislature to determine right funding level each biennium. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing an academic research and improvement performance data analyst in the department of education. | HB542 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Bi-partisan bill for new Dept. of Education data analyst to measure student progress, evaluate program and instructional effectiveness, guide curriculum development and resource allocation, and promote accountability. Position works with educators in the effective use of data to drive and improve education decision-making. Annual cost about of $150K. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the school building aid program. | HB546 | Ladd ( D ) | Support with amendment | Requires minimum of $50M annually appropriated to school aid building fund starting in FY24. Currently annual appropriation is capped at $50M. Risk is that change may incentivize school building project "wants" over true "needs" with available funding. Recommend amendment removing cap and minimum, allowing legislature to determine right funding level each biennium. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to making incentive grants for school districts that improve in certain assessment scores. | HB552 | Moffett ( R ) | Support with Amendment | As amended, provides up to $25K incentive to school districts that improve math achievement scores, under control of Commissioner of Education. Should help improve math achievement in public schools. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to school district information on personnel salaries. | HB553 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Requires transparency by requiring school boards to publish the salaries of all school employees | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the adoption of school administrative unit budgets. | HB563 | Sellers ( R ) | Promoted by SDGA | With explosive growth in number of school administrators and their pay level in SAUs, this legislation requires every school district to use a separate warrant article for the SAU Budget at the annual school district meeting. Currently, SAU budgets in single district SAUs are set and approved by the school board in December, becoming a line item in operating budget. Voters cannot amend and do not have a choice in funding level. This bill requires a warrant article to choose between a proposed SAU budget and an adjusted SAU budget (like SB2 default budget) for all school districts. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to eligibility for free school meals. | HB572 | Hall ( D ) | Oppose | Unfunded state mandate increasing number of free and reduced price meals (and commensurate cost to local taxpayers). Raises threshold for qualifying for free school meals from 130% to 300% and reduced priced meals from 185% to 300% of federal poverty guidelines. | 05/11/23 | Senate Education | Senate | Committee Recommends re-refer, on Consent Calendar | Senate | 2023 | |||
Limiting education freedom account funding to budgeted amounts. | HB573 | Luneau ( D ) | Oppose | Institutes a $3.3M annual cap on the EFA program, which would limit the number of students who can receive EFAs and limit the effectiveness and participation in this very successful program | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to state aid for special education pupils. | HB577 | Moulton ( D ) | Support | Reduces local cost of underfunded mandate to provide special education, lowering threshold for 80% state aid to start at 1.5 times state average expenditure per pupil, versus the current 3.5 times level. Consider lowering 100% aid from 10X to 5X level. To be most effective, special education aid appropriations must be increased in biennial budget. | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing the position of reporting administrator in the department of education. | HB578 | Moffett ( R ) | Neutral | Bi-partisan bill creates reporting administrator position to provide technical assistance and metrics for areas such as gifted students, extraordinary need grants, civics instruction, 3rd grade reading. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to state participation in the Medicaid direct certification program for free and reduced price school meals. | HB601 | Heath ( D ) | Neutral | Directs Dept. of Education to seek participation in the USDA Demonstration Projects to Evaluate Direct Certification with Medicaid. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to education service providers under the education freedom accounts program. | HB603 | Tanner ( D ) | Oppose | Places burdensome requirements on EFA providers (must be in business for at least a year, get approved as nonpublic education program, etc.) | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to reading specialists. | HB604 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Authorizes Dept. of Education to hire a reading specialist to assist school districts in the implementation of reading remediation programs. | TBD | Senate TBD | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Signature | 2023 | |||
Prohibiting gender transition procedures for minors, relative to sex and gender in public schools, and relative to the definition of conversion therapy. | HB619 | Roy ( R ) | Support | Part 4 of bill "Sex and Gender in Public Schools" references commonsense measures such as use of pronouns by gender upon enrollment approved by parents, restrictions on advocating for gender as a choice, restroom use by sex, and sports participation by sex. | TBD | House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing a department of early childhood education and relative to a pre-kindergarten pilot program. | HB620 | Heat ( D ) | Oppose | Unnecessarily expands public education with pilot program to include pre-K ages 3 and 4. Public school early intervention for special education is already available for ages 3 and 4. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to funds of the education freedom accounts program after termination of a student’s participation and responsibilities of the scholarship organization. | HB621 | Luneau ( D ) | Oppose | Attempts to immediately rescind EFA funds when student enrolls in a public school. This bill would deter an EFA student from trying out a public school as the EFA would be terminated and the EFA family would have to reapply | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Establishing a teacher candidate loan forgiveness program. | HB623 | Myler ( D ) | Oppose | Does not indicate the source of the funds for the loan forgiveness (up to $10K per teacher) if teacher meets teaching obligation. | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the calculation of average daily membership in attendance and average daily membership in residence for school districts | HB625 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Provides sensible and fair corrections to calculation of average daily membership in attendance (ADMA) and average daily membership in residence (ADMR) to account for homeschoolers at 0.15 per academic course taken at a public school grades 1-12. Similar to HB637. | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Requiring the department of education to administer the education freedom account. | HB626 | Luneau ( D ) | Oppose | Proposes undesirable changes to successful EFA program. Attempts to shift administration of EFA program from the well run Scholarship Organization to the Dept of Education. Also contains an ambiguous backdoor attempt to rescind EFAs from students when they "become ineligible" and institute an annual rollover cap on EFA funds. | None | House Finance | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to local education improvement plans and disparities in education. | HB627 | Lekas ( R ) | Support with amendment | Much needed changes to local education improvement plans and accountability for persistent disparities. Recommended amendment to 193-H:4 II and 193-H:6: improvement plan or persistent disparities plan for school must get approval from school board in addition to Commissioner. | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing a student bill of rights. | HB629 | Tanner ( D ) | Oppose | Unnecessary step, as all rights listed in bill are already protected in the U.S. and NH Constitutions and NH RSA. The "The right of personal privacy" may be used to justify the school district keeping secrets from parents. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to the cooperative school district budget committee. | HB632 | Sellers ( R ) | Promoted by SDGA | Increases fairness and cooperation in cooperative districts, by requiring regular budget committee meetings to rotate among member towns and rotate the committee chair among member towns | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to students' participation in religious instruction to satisfy elective curriculum requirements. | HB634 | Gerhard ( R ) | Support | Reasonable accommodation to allow students to participate in religious instruction outside public schools for academic credit (per State Board standards) and at no cost to school district, supporting a level of school choice. Similar to HB382. | None | House Education | Complete | ITL (Defeated) | None | 2023 | |||
Relative to the calculation of average daily membership in attendance for certain home educated pupils. | HB637 | Hobson ( R ) | Support | Provides sensible and fair corrections to calculation of average daily membership in attendance (ADMA) and average daily membership in residence (ADMR) to account for homeschoolers at 0.15 per academic course taken at a public school grades K-12. Removes requirement contingent on available appropriations. Similar to HB625. | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the extraordinary need grants to schools. | HB638 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Removes administrative requirement for accountability plan for grants under $50K and other reasonable minor changes, to streamline implementation of extraordinary need grant administration. These grants are for free/reduced priced school meals for property poor towns. | TBD | House Finance | Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Authorizing the department of education and local school districts to contract with transportation network companies to provide school transportation services. | HB651 | Cordelli ( R ) | Support | Provides needed authorization for school boards to contract with transportation network companies to transport up to 8 students | TBD | House Education | Committee | Retained n Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to the one-year certificate of teaching eligibility. | HB654 | Ladd ( R ) | Support | Grants reasonable and commonsense authority to a school board to extend a teaching certificate of eligibility to an individual, one-time for a second year, to address teacher shortages in specific disciplines. | TBD | Senate Education | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Signature | 2023 | |||
Repealing a requirement for a report on chartered public school payments. | SB 25 | Ward ( R ) | Support | Eliminate unnecessary monthly reporting requirements for DoE (same as HB71) | TBD | House Education | House Committee | Retained in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to changes in school placement for students. | SB 77 | Avard ( R ) | Support | Adds an approved private school to the options for placing a student that is in a manifest educational hardship. Authority to place in a private school still rests with the school board. Provides flexibility and another option to the school board to make the best placement when there is a manifest educational hardship for a student. | TBD | House Education | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Signature | 2023 | |||
Relative to the individualized education programs of chartered public school students. | SB 93 | Avard ( R ) | Support with amendment | Enables chartered public schools to lead development of an IEP and provide IEP services to the student internally or via contract. While bill states state and federal funds from the resident district shall be sent to the chartered public school, it leaves chartered public school with the rest of financial liability. Amendment is needed to keep resident district financially responsible, otherwise chartered public schools will take on additional significant financial burden. | TBD | Senate Education | Committee | Re-referred to committee | Senate Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to school safety and coordination with law enforcement. | SB109 | Lang ( R ) | Support | Reasonable to make schools safer by clarifying that school employees can communicate with law enforcement on an ongoing basis for the purpose of taking preventative actions against threats to the health, safety, and wellbeing of students. | TBD | House Education | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Signature | 2023 | |||
Relative to the individualized education programs of chartered public school students. | SB114 | Rosenwald ( D ) | Oppose | Attempts to make permanent the State of NH paying 7.5% of NH Retirement System contributions for teachers (and others). A better method that will lead to tax relief--each year, as state budget allows, the state may provide contributions(at an appropriate level) via a reduction in statewide property tax. Fixed aid may be viewed as a windfall and spent by school boards and administrators instead of being used for tax relief. | TBD | Senate Finance | Senate | Adopted by Senate, then Tabled | Tabled in Senate | 2023 | |||
Relative to alternative dispute resolution in special education. | SB135 | Ward ( R ) | Support | Provides flexibility to continue discussions in the special education dispute process rather than proceeding to next step, only if both parties agree. | TBD | House Education | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Signature | 2023 | |||
Prohibiting the employment or volunteering of a revoked or suspended educator. | SB136 | Ward ( R ) | Support | Provides needed prohibition from a person on the Dept of Ed list of revoked and suspended educators from being employed or volunteering in public schools or any SAU | TBD | House Education | House Committee | Pending | Executive Session | 2023 | |||
Relative to the adoption of school administrative unit budgets. | SB155 | Avard ( R ) | Support | With the explosive growth in number of school administrators and their pay level in SAUs, this legislation provides needed transparency and voter oversight on SAU budgets. This bill requires that annually the SAU budget be quantified, that a public SAU budget hearing is held, and that the SAU budget is presented to voters in a separate warrant article for a ballot vote at the annual meeting, distinct from the school operating budget. Of 105 SAUs in NH, 81 serve a single district and most do not publish a SAU budget nor hold a public SAU budget hearing because it is not required. This discrepancy is remedied by SB155. | None | House Education | House | Tabled | Tabled in House | 2023 | |||
Relative to eliminating the use of seclusion as a form of punishment or discipline on children in schools and treatment facilities. | SB179 | Atschiller ( D ) | Support | Commonsense bi-partisan bill to prohibit the use of seclusion for punishing children in schools (and elsewhere), unless there is current danger of physical harm to self or others. Prevents extreme school board policies. | TBD | House Education | Governor | Adopted by House, Adopted by Senate | Governor Signature | 2023 | |||
Relative to the obligation of collective bargaining units to negotiate in good faith. | SB193 | Prentiss ( D ) | Support | Bi-partisan bill that clarifies that "good faith" means meeting within 10 days when either party (union or public employer) wants to negotiate. | TBD | House Labor, Industrial and Rhabilitative Services | House Committee | Pending | Executive Session | 2023 | |||
Establishing a department of early childhood education and relative to a pre-kindergarten pilot program. | SB214 | Whitley ( D ) | Oppose | Unnecessiarily expands public education with pilot program to include pre-K ages 3 and 4. Public school early intervention for special education is already available for ages 3 and 4. | TBD | Senate Education | Committee | Re-referred to Committee | Senate Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing an early educator professional development grant. | SB218 | Fenton ( D ) | Oppose | Requires local professional development plans to address new educator development, requiring use of local taxpayer funds matched with state dollars to implement. Partially funded mandate. | TBD | House Education | House Committee | Retianed in Committee | Retained in House Committee | 2023 | |||
Relative to a salary floor for public school teachers. | SB219 | Murphy ( R ) | Support with amendment | Recommend with an amendment that caps adminstrator pay at double the lowest paid teacher. | TBD | Senate Education | Committee | Re-referred to Committee | Senate Committee | 2023 | |||
Establishing a parents' bill of rights in education. | SB272 | Carson ( R ) | Support | Much needed bill to provide parental bill of rights in education, define violations of rights, and parental notification of rights. | TBD | House Education | House | No committee recommendation (tie vote) | House | 2023 |